A day after placing five players on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team, West Virginia claims the top spot in the 2013 Big 12 preseason soccer poll, as voted on by the league’s coaches. West Virginia received seven first-place votes to secure the top position.

The Mountaineers clinched the regular season title in their inaugural Big 12 season with a record of 7-0-1 . Following a first round loss to TCU in the 2012 Big 12 Championship, WVU advanced to its 13th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance. The team returns nine starters for 2013, including four 2012 All-Big 12 selections and 12 letterwinners.

Texas Tech enters the 2013 campaign tabbed second by the Big 12 coaches. Coming off a 2012 season which saw the Lady Red Raiders tally their best conference finish and advance to the programs first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, Texas Tech returns eight starters, including 2012 All-Big 12 First Team selections Jaelene Hinkle and Janine Beckie.

Baylor opens the season at third only three points behind Texas Tech. Following a Big 12 postseason championship, the Bears advanced to the third round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

Oklahoma State and Kansas round out the top 5 while the remainder of the poll consists of Texas, TCU, Oklahoma and Iowa State.

All nine Big 12 teams will open the 2013 campaign on Friday, August 23.

2013 BIG 12 SOCCER PRESEASON POLL

Rank

School

Points

1.

West Virginia (7)

63

2.

Texas Tech (2)

55

3.

Baylor

52

4.

Oklahoma State

40

5.

Kansas

33

6.

Texas

31

7.

TCU

21

8.

Oklahoma

19

9.

Iowa State

10

Note: First place votes in parentheses; Coaches not allowed to vote for own team.